Buried No Longer Op-Ed (to customize as needed)
The health and prosperity of [name of community] is largely dependent upon a buried network of
water and wastewater pipes that we never see and take largely for granted. But these pipes are
aging and in need of serious repair, and it’s time we confronted our water infrastructure
challenge.
[Add in a couple examples of pressing infrastructure projects, serious main breaks, or other
events that illustrate how infrastructure needs replacing.]
The American Water Works Association released a report in February 2012 entitled “Buried No
Longer: Confronting America’s Water Infrastructure Challenge.” This report analyzes the cost of
repairing and expanding the U.S.’s drinking water infrastructure. It focuses on the original timing
of water system development in our country, the various materials from which pipes were made,
the life expectancy of the various types and sizes of pipes, and the cost of replacing these
pipes.
The results are startling. The national cost of repairing and expanding buried drinking water
infrastructure will exceed $1 trillion in the next 25 years and $1.7 trillion over 40 years. Small
communities may face the biggest challenges, because they have fewer people across whom to
spread these costs.
These figures don’t even include wastewater costs, which are thought to be similar.
[Name of utility] took a hard look at our own drinking water infrastructure using the same
methodology employed by the AWWA report. [Name of utility] estimates that more than [dollar
estimate] will be needed over the next [number of years] to maintain today’s level of service and
reliability.
[If you have any data that articulates your wastewater infrastructure needs, insert that here.]
We have never been here before as community or as a nation. The water infrastructure in the
ground was largely built by previous generations. But now that today’s challenge has been
established, it’s time to focus on solutions.
[Name of utility] maintains its systems primarily through customer water rates [add other
financing if relevant]. We can expect customer water bills to rise as we strive to address these
needs. The federal government, however, can play an important role in helping communities like
ours manage these costs.
Here’s one idea we can all get behind. [Name of utility] strongly supports the creation of a Water
Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Authority, a federal financing mechanism that would do
two things. First, WIFIA would provide low interest federal loans for large water infrastructure
restoration and expansion projects, and second, it would help local communities like ours
address more infrastructure needs at a lower cost. That means all of us who pay for water and
wastewater service would ultimately pay less – without adding to the long-term federal deficit.
Buried No Longer™ Op-Ed Piece
Copyright© 2013 American Water Works Association
Legislation has already been proposed in U.S. Congress [check awwa.org/infrastructure for the
state of current legislation.] While WIFIA is a great idea, its passage depends on support from
communities like ours. It’s vital that each of us encourage our U.S. Congressional
representatives to stand behind this much-needed legislation. At the same time, we need to
encourage our local public officials to be leaders on this cause, and to support them in making
the decisions necessary to address the issue.
As daunting as this water infrastructure challenge may seem, it becomes more serious if we do
not act. Waiting will only raise the price tag on projects while threatening public health and
safety.
When we consider everything that our water services deliver – protecting our public health and
environment, providing fire protection, supporting our economy, and assuring the high quality of
life we enjoy here in [name of community], it’s clear that we can no longer bury our water
infrastructure challenge.
Buried No Longer™ Op-Ed Piece
Copyright© 2013 American Water Works Association